'Those players (Sithole and Mudau) have always been very important for the team,' said Broos this week.
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is happy to have experienced players Khuliso Mudau and Sphephelo Sithole back with him for the crucial 2026 Fifa World Cup Group C qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
ALSO READ: Pirates’ Makgopa gets late Bafana call-up
Bafana will face Zimbabwe tomorrow at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban and Rwanda on Tuesday at the Mbombela Stadium, with two wins highly likely to be enough to take them to the World Cup finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico next year.
Bafana stalwarts return
Sithole and Mudau were both key members of the Bafana side that finished third at the last Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast.
Defensive midfielder Sithole, however, has not played for Broos’ side since breaking his leg in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Sudan over a year ago.
Mudau, meanwhile, was a regular member of the Bafana squad until the start of this season. The 30 year-old right back, however, was omitted by Broos as he was left on the sidelines by Sundowns in a dispute over a failed transfer to the Middle East.
“Those players (Sithole and Mudau) have always been very important for the team,” said Broos this week.
“It was a pity that we couldn’t have Sithole for a year because of injury and also a pity we couldn’t select Khuliso because of problems with his club. Having those players back … is very important for the team.”
Sithole and Mudau both played in June 2024 when Bafana beat Zimbabwe 3-1 in Group C at the Free State Stadium. Tomorrow’s game is technically a home game for Zimbabwe. But the Warriors are playing in Durban because they do not have a suitable stadium in their own country, and because they failed in a bid to take the game to Botswana.
“Every game is different,” added Broos.
“You can’t say because last year we beat Zimbabwe 3-1 and played well, blah, blah, blah.
“Friday is a different game … we will see what happens but we are very happy with the guys who are back.”
Mudau likely to start
Broos will have to decide whether to bring Sithole back tomorrow alongside Teboho Mokoena in midfield. It was Orlando Pirates’ Thalente Mbatha who started last month’s qualifier against Lesotho and Mamelodi Sundowns’ Bathusi Aubaas who played in the following game against Nigeria.
ALSO READ: Bafana’s Broos – ‘Why should we doubt it?’
As for Mudau, he is likely to come straight back into the side. Zuko Mdunyelwa, who started the Lesotho game last month, and Nyiko Mobbie, who started against Nigeria, are both out injured.
